The Somerset reporter., 1887-12-14
TIE GERMAN ARMY.
THE cRoUcHlNG TIGER READY ON
THE FRENCH FRONTIER LINE.

Turning Out the Men at All Hours Of
Night as II War We're Actually De-
Observation-Disclosures as Privates-Extra-
ordinary system.
Once inside the city of Metz you find
discipline, hard work and the results OF
perfect military system. Fully half the
neople Won see on the streets are soldiers.
In the city of Metz to-day there are 10000
men. Along the frontier, in POSITIONS
where they can be concentrated upon the
border within twentyfour hours, there
are over 200, 600 men. In time of peace
the confinement of so large number OF
men as are at Metz within such circum-
scribed quarters would simply result IN
license, idleness and dissipation But
there is nothing of the sort to be seen AT
Metz. The men are too constantly occu-
pied The private soldiers are turned out
at O'Clock in the morning II is drill,
drill from morning till Eight. The men
are marched and countermarched. Ihey
are exercised in every form of evolution
which could be employed in actual war.
| The officers are constantly securing the
country hunting up new diiiicultles TO
teach their men to overcome by prellml-
dination, | do not think was ever sur
passed in any army The officers wear
| their uniforms constantly. 1t is breach
! of discipline and of the most serious char
| acter, for them to appear in public IN
! civilian dress These officers have no time
for social hospitalities. They never make
| calls or accept invitations, except among
themselves. There is very little entertain
! ing even among the officers on the border.
| They are too occupied with their military
duties in the perfecting Of this tremen-
dous military machine which each day
grows more and more formidable
The perfection of the discipline OF the
German army can only be understood by
witnessing its actual operation. To begin
with. the private soldiers are thoroughly
trained physically, as well rs in the men
tai details of the military profession. They
are all accomplished gymnasts. Although
the men i'll many of the regiments are "
medium size they look strong. hardy and
resolute. The German army is perfectly
democratic in the placing Of it9 men. The
sons of the best families, who wish merely
to serve their three years term, have to
begin in the ranks as common soldiers.
Those who wish to adopt the army as
profession are placed in special schools,
and according to the examinations they
are placed in correspondingly better posi-
ton than those who are merely serving
their three years term. But when once
u man enters the army his private social
position is absolutely ignored. | heird
when | was in Metz of n son of most
distinguished family being called upon to
do his three years service. His head
gardener, who was called out ut the same
time and who had previously served WAS
| frit nII
young nobleman was placed in the ranks
as private and under the command Of
his servant, the gardener. The very first
day of his service the pryates of his COM
pany were put to wheeling dirt for some
breastworks. The sergeant could not
bear to see his masters son engaged IN
this mental work and took off his coat and
did his share for him, but this simply re-
suited in the punishment of the sergeant
for breach of discipline.
The respect which n subordinate must
pay to his superior extends throughout
every hour and minute of the day Wher-
ever the subordinate meets his superior in
rank he must extend to him the same Off
cial recognition of this superiority that
he would exhibit upon the actual parade
ground. The first night of my arrival in
Metz | was dining at the table d'hote,
when a heavy, thick set German officer
entered the room. A slight, aristocratiC
looking German officer, also in uniform
was leisurely eating his dinner and talk
ing with friend when this officer entered
the room The moment the latter entered
the young officer stood up from the table
and saluted. He stood with his hand al
the side of his head in the attitude OF
salute until the advancing officer returned
the salute and told him politely to sill
down. In this particular case | after
wards learned that the officer superior il
rank WAS II former tradesnan ill the toW1
where the Younger officer the only son Of
noble family, was one of its so
cal leaders. The two men in civil lif'
would not know each other socially. But II
the army the bridesmaids position com
manded the absolute respect and obedience
of the nobleman. | merely give this III
stance as an illustration Of the absolute
perfection OF the military subordination il
tine German army. | noticed this cJn
stantly as the officers came into the dining
room. Every officer who came in salutet
those present, and those salutcd cithe
arose or bowed formally, according t
their relative ranks The working Of thi!
discipline which was shown in a hote
dining room, was Of course common Mt al
places of public or private meeting. WheI
tne oi'icorS paSs eaei o.nci uPoh th
streets NJ i''a''ei II II Is 'Neh's 'ii'.ea
uay, .ne sallie oeio'''o,s, on,S N nv" nnl
cull iaSnlo', Is guy 'ilip"sn "l'n' ih
swift and severe. Yet in spite of the rigo
oi tne oisclpiine anu inc tremendous "ori
involved all Of the officers and the mel
look comfortable and contentcd.
But in nothing is the perfection of prep
aia.,oi eio" n'oie man III tlle sisi'!is Il